


By Your Side Through the Night

by Aragarna



Category: White Collar
Genre: Angst, Episode Tag, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2014-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-31 02:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6452617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aragarna/pseuds/Aragarna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tag to episode 5x13. Neal has disappeared. Peter is looking for him. They're thinking about each other, sending a silent plea into the night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Your Side Through the Night

Neal.

_Peter…_

Tell me you didn’t run.

_I didn’t run._

Where are you? What happened?

_Please come get me…_

Are you okay?

_You should be settled in DC by now._

Are you hurt?

_How is it? Is El enjoying the National Gallery?_

Please, come back…

_I was so looking forward to visit you guys… And maybe a museum or two._

At least send me a sign. Something…

_I guess you’ll be the one visiting me… You’ll come visit me, right?_

There’s no trace of you. Anywhere. It’s like you vanished into thin air.

_What if you’re not looking for me? Will anyone be able to find me?_

I’d say it’s impossible. But with you…

_Did they even tell you I was gone?_

 I never went to DC, you know.

_I didn’t give you the chance._

I just turned it down. It didn’t feel right. They’re just a bunch of bureaucrats who see numbers where there’s people…   I refuse to be pampered while they’re abusing you.

_No compromise, huh?_

Something like that…

_You’re a good man, Peter._

You too, Neal, you too. You’ve been doing a great job at the FBI. I’m proud of you.

_Still?_

Of course.  Well, if you didn’t run.

_I didn’t! Tell me you’re looking for me._

I am looking for you. I’ll find you, you know that. Look, I’m sorry, Neal. For everything. I wish we had time to talk. I realize now, how much pressure you’ve been under. The difficult situation you were in. And I didn’t see it.

_This wasn’t your fault._

You were sending me all the wrong signals. I know you by heart, I can tell when you keep things from me, when you and Mozzie are plotting things on the sides. And you kept committing those crimes…

_That was the price to pay._

I wish you’d let me in.

_I couldn’t._

I get it. It’s okay, Neal. I understand now. I regret the things I said. I thought you didn’t want to change, that you wanted to remain a criminal, and I was struggling with what to do with that.

_I just wish you would have understood._

I’m sorry I disappointed you, Neal. It’s all my fault.

_How could it be your fault?_

You did it for me.

_I’d do it again._

Hmm… I’d rather not.

_Forgive me, Peter. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just couldn’t bear the idea of you being in jail, when your only crime had been to help me and my father. I had to take you out, at any cost. You weren’t supposed to find out. As long as you didn’t know, it was all good._

You know what’s your problem, Neal?

_What?_

You always underestimate me.

_Prove it to me one last time then, find me. And I swear I won’t make that mistake again._

I’m working on it, Neal! Everyone’s looking for you.

_How many?_

Including my agents and the Marshals, all of them I think. Except they all think you ran.

_And you?_

I want to believe you didn’t… I know you have enough, and you need a break. But running now would be… Neal, you told me you didn’t want to run anymore. Why would you do that?

_I didn’t run. Please, believe me._

I had that surrealist conversation with Mozzie… He told me you couldn’t have possibly run, because he was still working on _something_?! He wouldn’t tell me any specifics, but he was sure you couldn’t have run. And he seemed seriously worried for your safety – I’ll spare you his list of theories on your disappearance. But Neal, were you really planning on running with Mozzie?

_I was upset. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have run._

I do believe you wouldn’t run willingly without Mozzie, though. He also told me that the day before you were ready to give up the life, that you were pretty adamant about it. He seemed pretty upset.

_Oh yes, he was. He’ll get over it._

All in all, I’m not sure what to make of this conversation… Should I be pleased or pissed off? I never know where to stand with you, Neal… Just… tell me you didn’t run…

_I didn’t run._

What happened, then?

_I’ve been kidnapped. It was a freaking kidnapping, in plain daylight…_

Where are you?

_I don’t know… We’ve been driving for hours. I lost track of time. Peter, I don’t know!_

Who are they? What do they want?

_I don’t know… I don’t know…_

It’s okay, Neal. It’s okay. I’m here. I’ll find out. I’ll find you. I’m working on it. Good thing I didn’t take that cushy desk job. Just hold on, okay?

_I am._

Are you safe?

_I wouldn't bet on that._

Can’t you escape? You’re Neal Caffrey, world class escape artist. What’s taking you so long?

_I’ve tried. They’re professional. They don’t make mistakes._

Have they hurt you?

_If I escaped, would it count as running?_

Only if you didn’t come running back to me.

_Okay._

Neal, are you hurt?

_I’m fine, Peter. Just come get me. You’ll find me, right? You always find me…_

I will, Neal. Damn it, I will. I promise.

…

…

_Peter?_

Yes, Neal?

_Do you regret taking the deal?_

Of course not. I was angry. I might have said thing. I didn’t mean them. You?

_If I make it -_

You’ll make it. You have to.

_Would you take me back?_

You mean, as your handler?

_Yes._

You don’t like Jones?

_I – I’d prefer you._

I’d love that. You and me, back on the same team. It’s a deal.

_Sounds great. Can’t wait._

Hold on, buddy. I’ll find you.

_I trust you on this._

It’s a promise, Neal. In no time you’ll be back at White Collar. Just try to stay safe.

\----------------------------------

  
In the dark solitude of his holding cell, Neal turned around on the old sagging mattress and snuggled in a fetal position. “Come get me…” he whispered again to the night. 

\--------------------------------

Emptying his umpteenth coffee of the night, Peter slumped back in his chair. It was three in the morning, but he refused to call it day. He won’t go home without Neal. He charged some new video footage of a nondescript van spotted speeding across the state border. “Hold on, Neal, just hold on a little longer…” he whispered.

FIN.


End file.
